03 Jun 2020Larger single-teat milk feeder now availableMilk Bar’s popular single-teat feeder has been enlarged and redesigned so it can now hold up to four litres of milk or colostrum. And it’s now available in the UK from Dairy Spares.
Its robust design includes integral moulded hooks, which allow the feeder to be hung from a 25mm rail.
Volume scale
On the inside of the...

26 May 2020Palm-free alternative for optimum dairy performanceProducers can now opt for more environmentally friendly, palm-free fat supplements that offer a beneficial alternative to meet the energy needs of high-yielding cows.
While palm oil-based feed supplements, such as calcium soaps, are used to increase energy density of dairy cow diets, UFAC-UK says that its product,...

23 May 2020Take steps to control docks after silage cutsSpraying docks with an effective translocated herbicide two to three weeks after taking a silage cut will give good control, as dock plants will all be the same size and have fresh healthy leaves when treated.
That’s the advice from Corteva Agriscience’s Nicola Perry, who adds that spraying with a herbicide a few...

21 May 2020Take steps to safeguard dairy workers as restrictions easeThe Government has issued new guidelines for producers, as COVID-19 restrictions are eased, to ensure that workplaces are as safe as possible.
Issued in mid-May, the guidelines detail specific steps that farm workers, including seasonal labour, should adhere to, to help protect them from the risk of COVID-19.
Nine...

20 May 2020Test slurry for invisible valueUsing a slurry testing kit and flow meter can save producers up to £265 per hectare in fertiliser costs.
So says Tramspread’s Terry Baker, who stresses that if producers don’t know the nutrient value of their slurry, and the rate it is being spread at, then the financial savings and crop benefits are guess work....

19 May 2020Free advice to help producers tap into fundingA top farm business guru will be offering free advice to dairy producers on how to access a host of funding opportunities in the first in a series of practical webinars, organised by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF).
Rural business advisor Simon Haley will talk through the range of funding...

19 May 2020Take early action to keep cows cool this summerTrial data showing the effects of summer temperatures on cow fertility, that becomes obvious after the problem has occurred, should encourage dairy producers to take action early.
“Cows can stop cycling and fertility will suffer before the cow shows any signs of heat stress,” says Cargill’s ruminant technical manager...

12 May 2020Survey reveals measured approach is improving efficiencyProducers are taking an increasingly measured approach to their grassland and manure management, which is helping to cut costs and improve efficiencies.
A survey carried out by the organisers of the Grassland & Muck Event – the third such survey since 2011 – has revealed that more producers are analysing inputs...

12 May 2020Spray weed seedlings in new-sown leys for best controlControl of perennial weeds – such as docks, thistles and buttercups – is easier and more cost-effective in new-sown leys than spraying mature, fully established weeds a year later. So says Corteva Agriscience’s weed biology specialists Nicola Perry.
“Producers can gain a higher rate of control of broad-leaved weed...

07 May 2020Pregnancy test kits offerIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NMR is waiving the post and packaging costs on its Pregnancy Associated Glycoprotein (PAG) milk sample pregnancy test kits until July 30, 2020.
This saving of £8.24 for a 10-sample kit, £10.00 for 30 samples, or £12.36 for 50 samples, is being applied to the PAG service for...